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Hello, Protagonists!
Welcome to another episode of the Creative. Inspired. ALIVE podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture.
Our guest, Deepa Anappara, won the Edgar Award for Best Novel and was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction for her debut novel, Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line. Anappara is also the co-editor of Letters to a Writer of Colour, a collection of personal essays on fiction, race, and culture. Her next novel, The Last of Earth, is out now.
Today, we talk about:
- researching historical fiction,
- the influence of her journalism on her fiction,
- if and how an author should translate a culture,
- building bridges between the writer and the character,
- and the perseverance needed for publishing.
xo,
Joanna & Evelyn
🎥 Watch the Conversation
You can watch the full video on:→ Our Website | Youtube | Substack app
Captions and full transcripts are always available on the website version (just click the “CC” button or the transcript tab below the video).
🎧 Prefer to Listen?
Stream the episode wherever you get your podcasts:→ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Audible | or your favorite platform
🎙️ Browse all past episodes HERE
📝 Want to Ask a Future Guest a Question?
We invite the community to submit questions via our community chat—available in your browser or in the Substack app. We love including your curiosities in the conversation!
Connect with Deepa:
You can find Deepa Anappara on Instagram or her website. Her newest novel, The Last of Earth, is available in bookstores everywhere or from your favorite online retailer!
By Evelyn Skye and Joanna Phoenix5
3434 ratings
Hello, Protagonists!
Welcome to another episode of the Creative. Inspired. ALIVE podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture.
Our guest, Deepa Anappara, won the Edgar Award for Best Novel and was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction for her debut novel, Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line. Anappara is also the co-editor of Letters to a Writer of Colour, a collection of personal essays on fiction, race, and culture. Her next novel, The Last of Earth, is out now.
Today, we talk about:
- researching historical fiction,
- the influence of her journalism on her fiction,
- if and how an author should translate a culture,
- building bridges between the writer and the character,
- and the perseverance needed for publishing.
xo,
Joanna & Evelyn
🎥 Watch the Conversation
You can watch the full video on:→ Our Website | Youtube | Substack app
Captions and full transcripts are always available on the website version (just click the “CC” button or the transcript tab below the video).
🎧 Prefer to Listen?
Stream the episode wherever you get your podcasts:→ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Audible | or your favorite platform
🎙️ Browse all past episodes HERE
📝 Want to Ask a Future Guest a Question?
We invite the community to submit questions via our community chat—available in your browser or in the Substack app. We love including your curiosities in the conversation!
Connect with Deepa:
You can find Deepa Anappara on Instagram or her website. Her newest novel, The Last of Earth, is available in bookstores everywhere or from your favorite online retailer!

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